Togo Erupts Youth-Led Protests Against Faure Gnassingbé’s Tightening Grip on Power

Lomé, Togo —

Togo is facing a wave of unprecedented political unrest as youth-led protests sweep across the capital Lomé and other key cities, targeting the entrenched rule of long-time leader Faure Gnassingbé. The demonstrations were sparked by controversial constitutional reforms that effectively abolished presidential elections, shifting power into the hands of a Council of Ministers headed by none other than Gnassingbé himself.

The 57-year-old leader, who has been in power since 2005 after succeeding his father Gnassingbé Eyadéma, now rules under a system that critics say strengthens his hold on the nation while pretending to decentralize power.

■ “This Isn’t Reform—It’s a Power Grab”

Although the government insists that the new role of President of the Council of Ministers is a step back from direct presidential rule, critics argue the opposite.

“The regime has nothing left to offer after 20 years of repression,” said a spokesperson from the grassroots coalition Hands Off My Constitution.

Prominent opposition parties, including the Alliance Nationale pour le Changement (ANC) and the Forces Démocratiques pour la République (FDR), have demanded Gnassingbé’s immediate resignation and a return to genuine democratic governance.

■ A Youth-Led Uprising Fueled by Digital Resistance

The engine behind the resistance is Togo’s younger generation, with over 60% of the population under age 30. Using social media platforms to mobilize quickly and efficiently, youth activists have been organizing sit-ins, peaceful marches, and digital campaigns to voice their frustration with decades of authoritarian rule.

While largely peaceful, the movement is not without risk. At least two people were killed in similar protests last year, and memories of violent crackdowns in 2005 and 2017 still haunt the streets.

■ A Nation on the Edge

Togo's descent into deeper autocracy has placed the international spotlight once again on West Africa's ongoing struggle with constitutional coups and democratic backsliding. As tensions rise and protest numbers grow, the question remains: Can the youth of Togo force change where decades of opposition politics have failed?

For now, one message is clear: Togo’s youth are no longer silent—and they want their democracy back.